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The Best Arts and Culture in Philadelphia

July 9, 2012 by cheriecity

Philadelphia is the city to watch for art and culture this summer, particularly with the monumental re-opening of The Barnes Foundation and the Rodin Museum. Whether it’s a downtown hidden gem or a world renowned institute on ‘Museum Mile’, Philadelphia’s art scene has plenty to discover…

Philadelphia Museum of Art

Philadelphia Museum of Art is the third largest art museum in the United States, with an impressive permanent collection ranging from artefacts from Asia since the third millennium BC to iconic Modern Art.

The striking Neo-Classical building houses more than 227,000 objects and each floor is dedicated to different eras and cultures in art. Prominent collections include American Art, Indian & Himalayan Art, Costume & Textiles, European Decorate Art & Sculpture and Modern & Contemporary Art.

The steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art are immortalised in the film Rocky, as he uses the city as his training ground. Look out for Rocky impersonators – I was lucky enough to capture one in the picture below.

PAFA

Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) is the oldest museum and art school in the United States. The exquisite Victorian Gothic building houses an internationally renowned collection of American paintings and sculptures that span three centuries. Alongside the permanent collection are exhibitions featuring works by prominent contemporary American artists. During my visit, I saw a powerful installation by video artist Bill Viola and PAFA & Dr Barnes, in celebration of The Barnes Foundation’s new home.

Also part of PAFA is the acclaimed art school with an impressive studio and gallery space. Visit the Undergraduate and Postgraduate exhibitions to see an overwhelmingly high standard of work from America’s next big artists.

The Barnes Foundation

The re-opening of The Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia has been one of the most talked about happenings in the international art world for many years. The Barnes was founded in 1922 by Dr Albert C. Barnes, a chemist who made his money by co-developing a revolutionary drug, thus selling his company to pursue his passion for art.

The Barnes is world renowned as having one of the finest collections of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist and Modernist paintings. Dr. Barnes amassed an impressive number of paintings by the great European and American masters such as Matisse, Cézanne, Renoir, Picasso, Modigliani, Glackens and Pippin.

The Rodin Museum

The Rodin Museum re-opens this month after extensive renovations, housing the largest collection of sculptures by Auguste Rodin outside of Paris. Opened in 1929, the Rodin Museum owns nearly 130 sculptures including bronze casts of The Thinkers, The Burghers of Calais, Eternal Springtime and The Gates of Hell.

On the day of The Barnes Foundation media preview, we were treated to a sneak peek of the Rodin Museum. It’s an elegant, petite space with stunning gardens, close to The Barnes Foundation on Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Take time to linger in the gardens and enjoy the contemplative atmosphere of the museum.

Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens

Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens is the spectacular mosaicked wonderland by artist Isiah Zagar on Philadelphia’s bohemian South Street. Back in the 1960s, Zagar dedicated his life to beautifying the South Street neighbourhood, buying and transforming derelict buildings into creative masterpieces with his wife Julia. In 1994, he started work on the vacant space near his studio, which became the Magic Gardens.

He constructed staircases and walkways and adorned them with emblems of his travels, evenings with friends and disused ‘scrap’ material. The Magic Gardens are most prominently decorated with bicycle wheels, coloured bottles, ceramic tiles, mirror mosaics and hand-painted inscriptions. Look closer and there are personal dedications to Julia and his sons Ezekiel and Jeremiah.

Kimmel Center

Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center is the home of the celebrated Philadelphia Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia and Philadanco. The Kimmel Center was built in 2000, designed by architect Rafael Viñoly and named after philanthropist Sidney Kimmel. Located along the city’s ‘Avenue of the Arts’, the Kimmel Center is one of America’s best venues to enjoy classical music.

I had the pleasure of seeing chief conductor Charles Dutoit’s farewell concert, marking his last performance with Philadelphia Orchestra after four seasons. The Philadelphia Orchestra performed a varied programme of Glinka, Chopin and Ravel’s epic Daphnis et Chloé in the spectacular Verizon Hall. Seeing the Philadelphia Orchestra play in their hometown is a great experience and one that should not be missed!

For more Philly destination ideas, read my guides on Things to do in Philadelphia, Shopping in Philadelphia and Eating Out in Philadelphia.

British Airways offer three nights at the 4* Philadelphia Marriott Downtown, Philadelphia from £749 per person based on September 2012 departures. Includes return British Airways flights from Heathrow and accommodation only. For reservations visit ba.com/philadelphia or call 0844 493 0758

Market, Philadelphia, Tours

The Best Things To Do In Philadelphia

June 29, 2012 by cheriecity

Philadelphia is one of East Coast America’s most vibrant cities, with a remarkably thriving art scene. Steeped in monumental American history, Pennsylvania’s largest city is full of colonial charm.

Whether it’s tax-free shopping on chic Walnut and Chestnut Street, exploring the cultural institutions on ‘Museum Mile’ or strolling around the quirky, leafy downtown neighbourhoods, Philadelphia has something for all.

There is something honest and unpretentious about Philadelphia and the city has its own strong sense of identity. With a thrilling dining scene, Pennsylvania Dutch influences and a forward-thinking approach to community art, Philadelphia really is the city of the moment.

Here are a few ‘must sees’ to add to your Philadelphia itinerary…

LOVE Park

LOVE Park (officially named John F. Kennedy Plaza) is the perfect place to chill out in the aptly named ‘City of Brotherly Love’. At the foot of Benjamin Franklin Parkway, the park is home to pop artist Robert Indiana’s iconic Love sculpture, which was first placed there in 1976. It can be tempting to jump right into the clear blue fountain on a hot summer’s day.

The Liberty Bell

The Liberty Bell is Philadelphia’s most treasured piece of history – an iconic symbol of American independence, dating back to 1752. The Liberty Bell was cast in London’s East End at Whitechapel Foundary and was then shipped over to America and placed in the former Pennsylvania State House.

The bell cracked on its first ring and had to be recast twice by local artisans. Since 2003, the bell has been housed in The Liberty Bell Center. A part of the leafy Independence National Park, the Liberty Bell is surrounded by historical monuments including Independence Hall, Carpenters’ Hall, National Constitution Center, First Bank of the United States.

Try to avoid peak times when visiting Independence National Park, as there are often queues to view the Liberty Bell.

Reading Terminal Market

Foodies will be in heaven at Reading Terminal Market – it really is that good. The huge indoor market in the Convention Center district offers fresh local produce and mouth-watering street food, including the iconic Philly Cheesesteak and hoagies. Try Obama’s cheesesteak of choice at Carmen’s (if you can handle the queue) followed by an ice cream from Bassetts, where the President picked up dessert.

It’s also the best place to sample authentic Pennsylvania Dutch food, as Amish vendors sell their delectable baked goods, gourmet deli sandwiches, farm-fresh juices and dairy products and preserves.

Rittenhouse Square

Rittenhouse Square is Philadelphia’s ‘posh park’, lined with high end restaurants, boutiques and the five star hotel The Rittenhouse. Luckily, I was in town at the right time to visit the annual Rittenhouse Row Festival, sprawling over six blocks of Walnut Street. Philadelphia’s best restaurants pitch up around Rittenhouse Square and offer small plates of their signature dishes and street food snacks, such as Kobe beef hotdogs, steak sliders and pulled pork tacos. I followed the smoke from the grill and ordered the most incredibly delicious burger from Marathon for just $6.

There’s a great, chilled out party atmosphere with live music, DJs and outdoor bars and activities for families inside the park. It’s a great way to try dishes from Philadelphia’s coolest dining spots with a more modest price tag and no reservations needed.

Italian Market

On the same baking hot Saturday, Philadelphia’s Italian community was hosting its own block party, the annual South 9th Street Italian Market Festival. There were stalls offering all of the authentic Italian street food you could think of – meatball platters, cannolis, pizza, Philadelphia’s famous Tomato Pie and thankfully… gelato! I cooled down with a refreshing Limoncello Sorbet.

A visit to the Italian Market is a must for foodies in Philadelphia. Look out for the original family-run Di Bruno Bros, Isgro’s Pasticceria and Claudio Speciality Foods.

Antique shopping on Pine Street

Pine Street is one of those picture perfect, tree-lined streets that make you fall in love with East Coast America. Known as Antique Row, Pine Street is home to a number of dealers selling fine art, antiques, oriental carpets, rare and new books, furniture and vintage clothing. It’s the place to pick up a collectible piece or just enjoy a stroll along one of Phildelphia’s prettiest streets.

See The Phillies

Baseball is a big deal in Philadelphia, so why not go and see The Phillies play at Citizens Bank Park. Grab a hot dog and a beer and watch Philadelphia’s team play, or take a look behind the scenes with a tour of the ballpark.

Philadelphia Big Bus Tour

There’s no better start to a city break than taking a bus tour. They’re a quick and comfortable way to get your bearings and become acquainted with the main sights, while finding out the history behind the city by local experts. The Philadelphia Big Bus Tour all the way from the Philadelphia Museum of Modern Art to Penn’s Landing with lots of monuments and neighbourhoods in between. Best of all, the buses are hop on hop off and open-top, so you can enjoy the warm weather.

Art, Philadelphia, USA

The New Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia

June 6, 2012 by cheriecity

The re-opening of The Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia has been one of the most talked about happenings in the international art world for many years. For the grand opening week, in mid-May, I was invited to the press preview to discover the new Barnes Foundation. A controversial relocation and redevelopment has divided critics, art lovers and locals, however, it was a pleasant surprise to see just how good the new campus looks.

The Barnes was founded in 1922 by Dr Albert C. Barnes, a chemist who made his money by co-developing a revolutionary drug, thus selling his company to pursue his passion for art. The institute was originally located in Merrion, a suburb of Philadelphia, with the view to ‘promote the advancement of education and the appreciation of the fine arts and horticulture’.

The uncompromising Dr. Barnes had a profound distaste for the Philadelphia art establishment and rejected the typical ‘museum’ concept, from his unique presentation of artworks to limited access for visitors. Art and education were free and there for all to experience, but effort was required and rewarded.

In the 1990s, The Barnes hit operational difficulty, due to zoning restrictions, and the foundation went to court to overturn Dr. Barnes’ wishes for the collection to remain at Merrion. They succeeded and so began the $150 million transformation of The Barnes into an accessible new gallery in the heart of Philadelphia, on Benjamin Franklin Parkway (also known as ‘museum mile’). The Barnes is now in the close company of the Philadelphia Museum of Modern Art, Franklin Institute, Academy of Natural Sciences, Please Touch Museum, Free Library of Philadelphia and the soon to re-open Rodin Museum.

The stunning new 93,000-square-foot Philadelphia campus was designed by Tod Williams and Billie Tsien. The building features a textured grey and gold Negev limestone exterior on a stainless steel skin with bronze accents. It occupies a four-and-a-half-acre site with landscape design by OLIN. The red maple trees and shallow pools surrounding the walkway give it a sense of calm and tranquillity.

Also in the collection are ancient and African sculptures, Native American ceramics, jewellery and textiles and Pennsylvania German decorative arts (curated alongside the paintings with an admittedly bizarre sense of logic).

In contrast to the minimalist building, the presentation and order of the works has remained reverently untouched. The paintings are still scattered (almost like a Pinterest board) in Dr. Barnes’ meticulous manner on a beige background, rejecting the typical white wall and minimal spacing of a regular gallery. The only exception is that state of the art lighting has been used to bring out the true colours of the artworks, as though they have been cleaned.

The Barnes maintains its horticultural legacy by being a ‘gallery within a garden and a garden within a gallery’. Dr. Barnes believed in the strong interplay between art and nature, so glass-covered internal gardens break up the rooms, partly so that the art doesn’t become overwhelming.

It also continues its commitment to education with comfortable, well-equipped classrooms, seminar rooms, 150-seat auditorium and a library. Special exhibitions will soon feature and a summer programme of events, workshops, lectures and tours has been planned. A talk that caught my attention on 18 July is called “No Thanks!” Artwork That Dr. Barnes Chose Not to Buy or Keep – discussing why he rejected Van Gogh’s Starry Night and why at one time he wanted to trade away Matisse’s Seated Riffian.

In addition to this, Free First Sundays offers free admission to The Barnes every first Sunday of the month from 1pm-6pm (advance reservations are required).

Timed admissions will help to control the number of visitors and maintain The Barnes as a place of contemplation and uninterrupted study. Considering that the original Barnes allowed a maximum of 500 visitors for only two and a half days per week, with telephone reservations required at least two weeks in advance, this is a monumental development.

The Barnes has now developed a more social aspect with visitors being able to dine at The Garden Restaurant and The Coffee Bar and shop for arty gifts at The Barnes Shop. Barnes at Night also sees the gallery open until 10pm on a Friday evening with live music. This seems like the biggest blow to the wishes of Dr. Barnes, but at least the gallery will come alive and reflect the energy and vibrancy of Philadelphia.

The Merrion Campus continues to be home to the Foundation’s education programs and the Archives. The Barnes Arboretum, containing more than 2000 species/varieties of trees, is set to re-open to the public in autumn 2012, following extensive renovation.

Without having seen the original Barnes, it’s difficult to adopt a firm viewpoint on the transformation. It’s a question of whether the public interest and preservation of these historical artworks should outweigh the collector’s life-long wishes. Context aside, The Barnes Foundation is a spectacular building with an enviable art collection. It strengthens Philadelphia’s position as the ‘city of the moment’ for arts and culture.

For more information on Philadelphia’s arts and culture scene, please visit: www.philadelphiaUSA.travel